Hey, Small Business Owners, are you ready for Small Business Saturday? In case you haven't heard, this national event is coming up on Saturday, November 25th and it's a great opportunity for us local businesses to get together and encourage our neighbors to #shopsmall. To help you get prepared, the Journey team has put together a day-by-day action plan of simple tips to get ready for the main event! Let’s work together to make this a special celebration for the local small business community and as always, feel free to get in touch if you need some extra help or inspiration!

Monday, November 13th

Let's get started! The first thing you need to do is create an incentive for people to shop with you on Small Business Saturday. Whether it's a discount, a "buy one get one", or a free gift, it's a good idea to "reward" shoppers for choosing to buy from your business instead of a big, old chain store or online platform. Keep your offer simple and don't pepper it with too many confusing rules. Got it? Great!

Tuesday, November 14th

Once you have decided on a special or discount, it's time to think about marketing. The first thing you'll want to do is update your website with what you’re offering. Remember your website is your digital storefront and it's where people will go to get more information about your business. Make sure you include all the details of the promotion, as well as a signup where people can subscribe to your newsletter or social media channels. That's it! Simple right?

Wednesday, November 15th

Once you have your website updated, it's time to start sending people to it! Today you should create between six and ten social media posts that you can use for your Facebook, Instagram and/or Twitter accounts. People need to hear a message multiple times before it sinks in but saying the same thing 10 times can get a bit boring. Mix it up with different photos, videos, and graphics and be sure to use relevant hashtags and location tagging!

Thursday, November 16th

First, don't forget to drop your daily social media post! Now it's time to get your in-store signage up and rolling! Shop Small has some cute customizable and downloadable options via their website shopsmall.com, or you can create your own! Our favorite free design tool is canva.com which is super easy to use and has tons of templates for the designed challenged! Let's see what you come up with!

Friday, November 17th

If you have an email database, now is a great time to let subscribers know about your Shop Small promotion! Use simple content with an engaging image that links directly back to your website. Often times business owners cram their newsletters with heaps of content, but you don't need to go crazy. Just be clear on what you're offering and how your customers can get it. Trust us, they will appreciate the simplicity of the message, especially with the holiday and Black Friday marketing rush!

Monday, November 20th

Time is flying and we have just a few days until Small Business Saturday! Now that all your promotional materials are ready, it's time to find some new customers! One of our favorite ways to find new shoppers is to connect with other local businesses with a similar clientele for a cross promotion! You can find a list of local Small Business Saturday participants on the shopsmall.com website. Pick a few businesses that you think might be compatible with yours and reach out to say hello! Working with partners is a great way to tap into each other's networks. By the way, don't forget to post your promo to social media today!

Tuesday, November 21st

Working with other businesses is a great way to reach wider audiences, but let’s not forget about the other organizations that are likely willing to lend a hand. Send a note to your local chamber of commerce, your city or town’s economic development office, and any other community-based business organization to let them know what you have planned for Small Business Saturday. They’ll likely be more than happy to help you spread the word through their social media and marketing channels.

Wednesday, November 22nd

Your event on Saturday will likely attract new customers, so think about a few ways to get them to come back again and again. Ask people if they would like to subscribe to your newsletter or follow you on social media. Create incentive cards with a discount that they can use on their next visit. Introduce a raffle on the day and get people to drop their business cards for a chance to win a prize. However you decide to do it, make sure you have a strategy to transform a new face from a one-hit wonder into a regular customer.

Thursday, November 23rd

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! We hope you’re all enjoying a wonderful day with your family and friends. Relax and tuck into that turkey, you deserve it!

Friday, November 24th

With all the Black Friday madness happening today, we’re going to focus on an insiders tip that will make your life a lot easier. Remember Wednesday’s tip when we asked you to brainstorm a few ways to get people coming back to your business? Now is the time to put it into action. Today we want you to draft an email that can be ready for you to send to all those new faces. It can be a short and sweet “thank you” to let them know how much you appreciated their visit and as always, include a reason for them to come back. From a 20% discount to a “buy one, get one”, creating a second offer is a great way to turn a first time customer into a lifelong fan.

Saturday, November 25th

Today is the day - Happy Small Business Saturday! Make sure your business is decked out with your #shopsmall signage, balloons, pennants, and posters. Also, be sure to send out a last minute social media post or newsletter to remind people to shop at your business today. Lastly, don't forget to encourage customers to sign up for your email newsletter or follow you on social media. Good luck and have an amazing day!

Sunday, November 26th

We hope you had a wonderful Small Business Saturday! Your work is almost done, but before you wrap up, make sure to send your drafted follow-up email to all of your new customers. Showing your appreciation for their business means a lot and offering an incentive for them to come again can turn a one time visitor into a fan for life!

And We're Done!

From all of us at Journey, we hope you found our tips to be helpful and we can’t wait to hear about your Small Business Saturday experience! Drop us a line or share a photo anytime and don’t hesitate to get in touch for any of your future marketing needs.